Scalp brush



March 29, 1960 w. w. PEARcE SCALP BRUSH Filed Aug. 23, 1954 q C R A E P w. W O R D 0 0 W INVENToR. HUEBNER, BEEHLER,

a HERAS, ATTORNEYS.

WORREL ,Alli

SCALP BRUSH y Woodrow W. Pearce, Los ngeles, Calif. l i Application August '23, 1954, serial No. 451,554

2 claims. (au15-131) A This invention relates to scalp brushes, and more particularly to a new and improved combination massage and shampoo brush containing a reservoir therein for liquid shampoo or'the like, with selective means for in-V troducing the shampoo from the container toa brushing or shampooingportion. A

It is an object of the invention to provide a new `and improved'combined scalp brush and liquid containerfor conjoint or selective use.

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved means associated with a shampoo `brush and container for introducing the shampoo from the. container to the brush portion.

Another further object `of the invention is the pro,` vision of a new and improved container constructionl in combination with a brush of the desired character described. j

A still further object of the invention is to` provide a new and improved container for a shampoo brush incorporating features for minimizing the sloshing ofthe liquid shampoo within the container so as 4to minimize the foaming thereof. e e V.`

Another further object of 'the' inventiongis vthe provision in a container for a brush of new and improved construction, of new and improved bellows-like means, new and improved cap means, and new and improved partition and stop means for the container so as to facilitate manufacture and use of the container portion, `afl fording desired rigidity and limiting the bellows actionv nited States Patent bined massage brush and container deiining aA body portion generally designated at 20, a top 21, and a brush tapered circumferential side-wall 25, the bottom 26 of which also slopes downwardly toward a central orice 27.

Aplurality of bristles 28, of any desired shape, being thicker at their base 29 and rounded at their extremities 30, are preferably integral with and depending from the bottom 26 of the body.

' The orifice 27 is preferably formed as by means of an integral counterbore 31 with a thin-walled portion 32 relative to the thickness of the rest of the=bottom 26, and a pair of diametrical slits 33 and 34 are provided to define four-or any other desired number-of axially exible fingers 35, which normally retain the orifice 27 in a closed condition, or substantially so, but which will yield under pressure to release lthe contents in the form of shampoo normally retained in the container cham- Y ber 36.

The chamber 36 defined by the body 20, including the annular outer wall 25 and the bottom 26, is further preferably partitioned by means of radially extending wall portions 37, for example, which at theirouter ends are integral with the wall 25, and at-theirbottom ends are integral with the bottom 26 of the body.

Said walls 37, at their innermost ends, however, lprefv erably terminate in radial spaced relationship from one appear and Abe brought out more fully vin the following specification `and considered with reference to the accompanying drawings throughout which like parts are designated by like numerals. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a'perspective'view of a brush embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a Vvertical'sectional view taken'as'on a lineZ-Z o f Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top view,parts being cut away. Figure 4 is a detailed fragmentary View of a second preferred form of brush `embodying a plug of interchangeable construction.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional viewofa thirdform of Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown by way of illustration but not of limitation a comanother,'and also in spaced relationship from the center fof the brush as dened by the orice27, in order to provide free access for 'the liquid material contained therein to the orilice 27.

'Said walls 37 also divide the chamber 36 'within the body of the brush into a plurality of smaller chambers 38. f

The cover 21 is preferably formed with a dome-shaped central body portion which can be flexed Vdownwardly by manual pressure. The edge 40 of the cover has an inturned flange '41 therearound adapted to be engaged under a complementary outwardly turned bead or marginal flange 42 over which the flange 41 may be yieldably snapped. The cover 21 also preferably is formed with an inwardly spaced annular ange 43 which, together with the ange 41, denes a recess 44 for the liquid tight containment of the head 42 Vforming the upper rim of the outer wall 25 of the body of the brush. Y

The form of the flanges 41 and 42 is preferably such that depression 39 of the cover ,serves to make the securement of the cover to the body, if anything, more secure than in its normal underpressed condition.

The upper edges 45 of the walls 37 are spaced downwardly from the cover body 2-1, and provide a limiting stop against which the cover in its depressed condition 39 engages at'trhe limit of its downwardly deflected position.

In 'order to conserve material and'to render the brush lighter in weight, any suitable notching, undercutting, or reticulation, as 46, may be employed. The handle 24 may, for similar reasons, be ribbed, as on the underside A47 cover will peel ofI. When a desired amount of shampoo has been vintroduced into the body the cover issnapped on and by depressing the same manually to the position as shown in dotted outline at 39 in Figure 2, pressure will be built up within the chamber 36 forcing the resilient fingers downwardly and opening the orilice at 27 to discharge a desired quantity of the shampoo. Upon release of pressure upon the cover 21, its resilience will return it to its normal convex appearance, as Vseen insolid outline in Figure 2. `Moreover, the shape of the orifice Y interchanged with its insert, or a larger or smaller size,

27 is such that pressure is preferably required to remove the shampoo from the chamberand discharge theV same into the bristle portion 22, ordinarily directly upon Vthe scalp of the user and during use. Such discharge under pressure tends to form the liquid into suds at the 'or ce.

While it is generally desired that the shampoo within the container portion of the brush be hindered from slapping and moving freely in a body from side to yside of the brush, for which purpose the wall portions 37 are provided, it is also contemplated that by means of suit-v able holes 49 in the walls 37, such foaming can `be accomplished within the brush body With slight shaking and agitation of the brush intended for the purpose of forming a heavy suds or lather so that the lather, rather than the liquid shampoo may be discharged through the orifice 27, as preferred by some individuals.

The form of orifice or valve shown at Figure 4 includes a recess 50 in the bottom 26 centrally thereof. Said recess 50 is undercut as at 51 therearound to permit the snapped insertion of an insert 53 therein, `said insert 53 being yieldably retained by the undercut 51 and a correspondingly tapered edge 54 of the insert. Said insert further includes a central plug portion 55 adapted to seat within the enlarged central bore 56 in the bottom.

By the latter construction, inserts 53 having orifices 57 of any desired size may be selectively employed. Moreover, if desired, the inserts 53 may be wholly omitted 'in order that water introduced into the brush through the top 21, 'as shown for example in Figure 5, may be used in washing the hair following shampooing. For this purpose, as shown in said Figure 5, for example, the top 21 may be provided with a central nipple 60 to which a plastic or rubber hose 61 attached or attachable to a water source, not shown, may be secured releasably or permanently in any conventional manner.

The outlet, therefore, of the type of Figure 4 may be used interchangeably in a brush-of the type of any of the figures by modification of the structure within the skill of the art. One can substitute a cover of the type of Figure 5 for the Vcover of the type of Figure l.

In the use of the orifice of the type of Figure 4,'the insert S3, as selected, may be inserted downwardly from the inside of the body 20 with the cover 21 removed. The insert 53 is snapped downwardly into place within the bore 56 and forced to engage the undercut with the outermost edge of the preferably annular insert 53, at 51 and 54. In order to remove the insert 53, it is merely necessary to force the same upwardly with physical pressure, so as to free the edges at 51 and 54. Another insert 53 may be substituted, or the same left off altogether during rinsing, as aforesaid,

In the embodiments of the Figures l through 5, corresponding parts are designated by like reference numerals and are interchangeable as between various features of the invention illustrated in the drawings, or described, within apparent limits.

In Figure 5, however, an insert 70 has an outer en larged flange 71 adapted to seat against the underside of the bottom 26, and an upper smaller flange 72 adapted to snap into an opening 73 in the bottom. The orifice of the insert 70 comprises a bore 74 and an upper counterbore 75. The composition of the insert, as of the brush body, being, as stated, of a vinyl plastic or rubberlike material, permits the insert to be forced upwardly into the opening 73, or downwardly out of the same by digital pressure, in order that said orifice 74 may be 4or omitted altogether for thepurp'os'es aforesaid.

Individual bodies 20 may be provided with a plurality of covers 21, some of which are adapted with hose connections and some of which are closed. In either event, in all forms of the invention, the cover may be depressable and flexible and function in the manner of a bellows, whether the `hose --connection is on the same or not.

The ends 30 of thebristles, in each of the forms of the invention illustrated, preferably `collectively define a concave surface adapted to correspondto the contour of the head of the user.

A material of choice is vinyl plastic, out of which the entire body may be molded as a unit, including the bristles. The top, or cover, 21, may also be molded of one piece, and the outlet in the bottom of the body may be molded of one or `more pieces, or may be integral with the body, depending upon the form of outlet selected,

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in what'I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the socpe of my nvention, which is lnot to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures and devices.

I claim:

l. A shampoo and massage brush comprising a tienible hollow body part having integral bottom and side walls 'and an open top, a resilient cover for said open t'op and means securing the same -in `fluid-tight position on said open top, a plurality of exible bristles dependinglyV secured -in spaced relation to the outer surface f said bottom wall, a centrallylocated fluid discharge port 'opening in said bottomwall, a valve means closing said opening, said valve means opening and closing upon flexing and non-flexing said resilient cover, and a plurality of walls in said body part and upstanding from said bottom wall, said walls being perforated to permit a iiow of fluid in said body `part therebetween and through said port opening.

2. A shampoo and massage brush comprising a dexible hollow body `part having integral Vbottom and side walls and an open top, a flenible cover-for said open top and means securing the same'in Huid-tight position on said open top, a plurality of ilexible bristles dependingly secured in spaced relation to the outer surface of said bottom wall, a centrally located fluid discharge port opening in the saidbottom wall, and a plurality of walls in said bodypart and upstanding `from said bottom wall, said walls being perforated to permit the ow of liquid in said Vbody part therebetween and through said port opening.

References Cited in thellile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 435,606 Jenking Sept. 2, 1890 827,376 hKnickerbocker July 31, 1906 1,064,641 Halstead June 10, 1913 1,191,578 England July 18, 1916 1,433,303 Sampson ..-L Oct. 24, 1922 1,505,442 Stephens -1-- Aug. 19, 1924 1,595,324 Van Santi Aug. l0, 1926 1,713,756 `Hassler ...4 May 21, 1929 2,090,050 Jackson Aug. V17, 1937 2,116,864 Fehrenbach May 10, 1938 r2,186,140 Kurtz ---c c .Jan. 9, 1940 2,296,761 Beckers Sept. 22, 1942 2.480.097 Holden Aug. 23, lMF 2,513,772 .Amer V g.- July 4, 1950 Gobin -Dec. 29, 1953 

